Introduction
Heading into 2023-24, Montreal Canadiens fans had reason to ask whether selecting Juraj Slafkovský was the correct decision. Then the calendar flipped to 2024 and Slafkovský answered that question with a resounding ‘yes.’ He climbed onto the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, earned himself an eight-year contract extension worth $7,600,000 per annum, and, most importantly, vaulted to the top of Eyes On The Prize‘s Top 25 Under 25.
In the span of one off-season, Habs fans went from nervous trepidation to barely contained excitement as they waited to see what the Košičan would do next.
The 2024-25 season wasn’t a bad one for Slafkovský. Indeed, in many ways, it was a carbon copy of the previous year that had earned so much acclaim. Slafkovský, Caufield, and Suzuki continued to be one of the best trios in the NHL, and the big Slovak winger hit a new single-season high with 51 points, up one from the year prior (in three fewer games played). Yet at the same time, Slafkovský didn’t take the hoped for “big leaps forward” and again failed to make a significant impact when apart from Caufield and Suzuki.
Entering year four of his NHL career — and the first year under the terms of his new contract — Slafkovský is unquestionably a key pillar of the Canadiens’ future. However, it remains to be seen whether he will be a main piece in the same conversation as Nick Suzuki or Lane Hutson. Now, with Ivan Demidov’s arrival, the question is less whether Slafkovský was the right decision for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, and more whether he is one of the Canadiens’ three best forwards.
Voting
Four is the magic number for Slafkovský, with six of 11 panellists, as well as the community vote, placing him in that position. Three votes for third and two for fifth round out the voting.
Over half of the community placed Slafkovský in the fourth slot. Those who disagreed tended to put the Slovak winger higher rather than lower.
Top 25 Under 25 History
Slafkovský has found himself in a different position in each year since he was drafted. While he will likely remain a staple of the top five until he turns 25, returning to the top spot might be a tough ask given the strength of the Canadiens’ young core.
| 2022: #3 | 2023: #5 | 2024: #1 |
History of #4
| Year | #4 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Juraj Slafkovský |
| 2024 | Kirby Dach |
| 2023 | Kaiden Guhle |
| 2022 | Kaiden Guhle |
| 2021 | Mattias Norlinder |
| 2020 | Alexander Romanov |
| 2019 | Ryan Poehling |
| 2018 | Victor Mete |
| 2017 | Phillip Danault |
| 2016 | Nathan Beaulieu |
| 2015 | Nikita Scherbak |
| 2014 | Jarred Tinordi |
| 2013 | Lars Eller |
| 2012 | Lars Eller |
| 2011 | Lars Eller |
| 2010 | Benoit Pouliot |
Strengths
Across three NHL seasons, Slafkovský’s game has been largely built on two fundamental skills. First, he is arguably the Canadiens’ best player when it comes to board battles and puck retrievals. Some of this comes from both his natural stature (6’3″, 225 pounds), but most of it is a result of him gradually learning how to apply leverage against NHL-level opponents. For example, his first goal of 2024-25 came after he shielded a bouncing puck away from Marcus Pettersson and disrupted Lars Eller just enough to poke the puck to Caufield.
Nick Suzuki to Juraj Slafkovsky 2-2 game In Montreal
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 14, 2024 at 9:46 PM
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Nothing that the Slovak winger does in this sequence is glass-rattling, but his actions not only keep the puck in Montreal’s hands, but they pull the Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenders out of position. Pettersson falls and is slow to get up, Eller chases Slafkovský, the puck, and then Caufield below the goal line, and Kris Letang overcommits on Caufield because he thinks there’s a turnover opportunity there.
Slafkovský’s other calling card so far has been his passing game. While the Canadiens and their faithful wring their hands at the youngster’s occasional decision to fling the puck from one side of the rink to the other, he has demonstrated himself to be an astute playmaker. While he is only 41st in the league at five-on-five in assists per 60 minutes (minimum 250 minutes of ice time), he is in the 90.0th percentile for chance assists and the 99.7th percentile for high-danger assists per 60 minutes. This combination of puck retrieval and ability to find teammates in prime scoring opportunities is probably why he fits so well on that top line.
Of course, he has other weapons. He has become a more than adequate skater and has a shot that is both precise and heavy. His hand-eye coordination is also exceptional, which explains why he is in the 99.9th percentile for generating shots off deflections. He’s also become quite decent defensively, showcasing a talent for puck retrievals and zone exits. Given his role as the high forward, most of these are from above the dots in the defensive zone, perhaps picking up rebounds that have bounced beyond the slot. Still, it’s an important skill to have, since it’s the first step to initiating any transition play.
Weaknesses
The primary question with Slafkovský is not tied to his abilities, but rather how he is able to deploy them. his current strengths are very complementary to Caufield and Suzuki’s skill sets. However, the reciprocal relationship isn’t quite there yet; right now, Slafkovský is more likely to defer his shot in order to set up Caufield or Suzuki, as opposed to vice versa. On one level, it makes sense as neither of his linemates can establish a net-front presence or win board battles in quite the same way. On the other hand, it means Slafkovský’s opportunities to dictate play and drive a trio are limited, and that impacts his ability to develop these skills for when the top trio doesn’t play together.
His struggles away from established chemistry is not an uncommon phenomenon among power forwards. Tom Wilson, for example, had a much better 2024-25 with Conor McMichael than his 2023-24 with Dylan Strome. Mikko Rantanen had a 42.5% on-ice goal share at five-on-five when away from Nathan MacKinnon between the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons, which may have contributed to the Colorado Avalanche deciding against retaining his services. Even Sam Reinhart sees his five-on-five goals-for percentage over the last three seasons decrease from an astonishing 60% with Aleksander Barkov to 41.3% without him.
That said, Ivan Demidov’s arrival means that Slafkovský cannot take his spot on the first line for granted. Besides, the Canadiens will want to see how Demidov plays on the top line at some point or another, since they would be better served by having an interchangeable top six that can all play together in any permutation. It’s hard to say whether this should be the year to give Slafkovský an extended opportunity to sink or swim on his own line. Demidov’s presence is a boon, but the other candidates — Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook — are all also facing make-or-break situations of their own. In an ideal situation, Slafkovský would be getting an opportunity to elevate an existing combination, not take command of a newly formed unit made up of the players left over after the established duos are already pencilled into the lineup.
Projection
Slafkovský is unquestionably a bona fide top-six winger in the NHL, and has established himself as an important component of the Canadiens moving forward. He is a combination of size, physicality, skill, hands, shot, and smarts that is difficult to find in hockey. The question now is, how many more tiers does Slafkovský still have before he reaches the peak of his powers? After all, each of his positives is currently still tied to a small negative:
- He is great at applying leverage in board battles, but doesn’t have the intimidation factor that comes from a Wilsonian-level
cheapshot artistphysical presence. - His hands are impressive, especially for his size, but there are times when he should go through defenders rather than around them.
- His passing is approaching elite levels, but not every pass is the product of sound decision-making.
- His shot is fantastic, but it’s still the third-best on his line, and so isn’t used as often as it should be.
Fortunately, Slafkovský is still only 21 years of age, and appears to have the personality to not just tolerate the challenges ahead of him, but embrace them. As the Canadiens continue to grow, Slafkovský has the tools and temperament to grow along with them, no matter what direction the team takes and what role they need him to play.
Patrik Bexell is joined by Matej Deraj of McKeen’s Hockey to discuss Slafkovský.
